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After what spectators say was some frenzied love-making, a relative term given that the little chap is a species not famed for speed, he completely lost his balance during the excitement and fell over.

And there he stayed for a good ten minutes while onlookers started to worry for his safety.

Did the earth move? Or did I just fall over? Our amorous friend lands on his back after his public antics at Kiev Zoo, Ukraine

He stopped eating and lay still and had to be righted by a zoo keeper.

The remarkable photos charting the brief encounter were taken by amateur photographer Vadym Shevchenko, 34.

He said: 'I think i was really lucky to see the mating process. When the male tortoise finished it fell off onto its back.

'I decided to wait and see what would happen next. Would he be able to to turn around or not. For some time the male was totally still - without any movement. He even stopped chewing the leaves which he was chewing all the time they were mating.'

Fancy a lie down? The little tortoise remained on his back for more than ten minutes while worried onlookers watched him. A keeper at Kiev Zoo, Ukraine, eventually put him back on his feet.

'I stayed for another ten minutes and the male tortoise was still on his back trying to turn around - though without any success. I think zoo workers helped him in the end.

'During the mating process there were almost no sounds. Just some quiet sound of chewing. But right before the falling on his back he produced a very loud sound of satisfaction.

'The beginning of it falling off was so slow that it was like watching a falling tree.

'All the spectators were amazed by the sound and falling down and were talking and joking about it for some time. After the male turtle fall on his back - there was a totally quiet pause. And then the crowd burst into applause.'